Dark Secrets
by The River Flows
Summary: Secrets. They're always there, a wisp in the back of your mind. But secrets escape sometimes, and then they become whispers. And those whispers become reality.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Estel here! What's up, guys? You may be loyal fans, or just bored people, but you're still appreciated for reading this. You may or may not know, but we have decided to skip Preserving Midnight. Why? Because we like to be cryptic and we don't like spoiling stuff. Plus, this has a much better plot than PM would have if it existed. Just think of Trouble and Then Some as prologue. If you haven't read Trouble and Then Some, it's okay, because you didn't have to read that to understand this. But, if you want to read it, it's fine with me. The more fans, the better! Well, I'll shut up now-

Raven: But, we're on coffee break! And you know how I can be without my coffee...

* shoves away * Get out of the author's notes! You've already signed your invincible soul-binding contract, remember? Heh-heh...

Lily: Aww, but I wanted to sleep... It's two in the morning!

I TOLD YOU TO GET OUT OF THE AUTHOR'S NOTES- * is smacked on the back of the head with a dictionary by Linde *

Linde: Get on with the story, already!

... * pouts and resumes typing *

_The description: Secrets. _

_They're always there, a wisp in the back of your mind. But secrets escape sometimes, and then they become whispers. _

_And those whispers become reality._

Two cats, shivering with joy and excitement, stared up at their leader. "Lilypaw, come forth." The cat beside Lilypaw, her sister, mewed encouragement and stepped forward. "From this day onward, you shall be known as Lilystorm." The sister watched as Lilystorm tried to contain her joy, her tail twitching occasionally. "Starclan commends you for your compassion and strength, and may you serve loyally to Riverclan."

Lilystorm let out a trill of happiness as Mistystar called Ravenpaw closer. Ravenpaw cautiously stepped up, knowing that someone glared from the crowd. "From this day forward, your name will be Ravenfrost." Ravenfrost closed her eyes and savored the sound of her new name. "Starclan commends you for your wit and bravery, and may you serve loyally to Riverclan." Ravenfrost stepped back, standing next to Lilystorm. Her eyes shone with elation as the clan called out their names. "Ravenfrost! Lilystorm! Ravenfrost! Lilystorm!"

"Warriors at last," Lilystorm whispered. "Took long enough," Ravenfrost muttered. "Oh, lighten up, Raven_frost_," mewed Lilystorm. "We're finally warriors! Can't you be satisfied with that?" "Not when she's glaring at me," murmured Ravenfrost, waving her tail towards Mallowbright. Their mother was glowering, and had chosen not to come and congratulate them. Lilystorm snorted. "Who made dirt in her fresh-kill?All that matters is that we're warriors together."

"I'm happy you're a warrior at last," sounded Stromcrow's voice behind them. Ravenfrost purred, butting her head into his flank affectionately. "Glad to finally be rid of me?" "I'm just hoping you got some knowledge into that stubborn head of yours," he meowed jokingly. Ravenfrost scoffed. "You're kidding, right? I've learned so much from you." It was Stormcrow's turn to purr. "It's wonderful to hear that from you," he purred, then turned around to let Greenleaf come up. "Congratulations, Lily_storm_," she mewed quietly. "Thank you so much, Greenleaf! You've taught me a bunch of things that I _promise_ I'll remember." "I know you will," she purred, and stalked off after Stormcrow.

Nightshard was next. He had his warrior's ceremony before them, due to being older, but he had become a great friend to them both. "I missed you two," he started, "but now we can share a den again!" Ravenfrost touched her nose to his ear. "I missed you, too, you frog-brain." Lilystorm flicked her tail over his ear. "We can go on patrol together tomorrow!" Carpwhisker ran up to them, giving Nightshard a cuff over the ear. "Stupid furball, they've got to watch over the camp tonight! I don't think they'll be fit for patrol," said Carpwhisker. Ravenfrost whisked in front of him and crouched, trying to look as menacing as possible. "We're fit for everything!" she yowled, drawing herself to her full height and looking toward the sky triumphantly. Nightshard poked his brother with a claw, causing him to jump, startled. Carpwhisker let out a fake growl and pinned Nightshard to the ground, who was convulsed with little "mrrow"s of laughter.

During the mock fight, their friend Heronstrike stepped up past his brothers to greet them. Flicking his tail at his younger siblings, he mewed, "I'm glad you two weren't _their _sisters." Lilystorm purred as Ravenfrost exclaimed, "Who says?" "We always knew that you were one of the toms," mewed Lilystorm, before being smothered by her tabby friend. Meanwhile, Carpwhisker was promptly knocked off of Nightshard by both Brookpaw and Honeypaw, their former den-mates.

"Good job, you two," Lilystorm purred, pushing Ravenfrost off of her. "We couldn't let them ruin our ceremony!" "That's right," Brookpaw crowed, lashing her tail. "No one trashes our friends' ceremony!", yowled Honeypaw. Carpwhisker, Nightshard and Heronstrike said good-bye and raced to their den, with Honeypaw and Brookpaw on their tails.

After watching the humorous scene, Mistystar leaped off of the highrock, nodding to her two new warriors. "You know what you two must do, am I correct?" "'Course, Mistystar," mewed Ravenfrost. "C'mon, Lilystorm, we've got to guard the camp entrance." Lilystorm jumped as Ravenfrost poked her with her paw. "Oh, yes, right. The camp entrance. We're on it, Mistystar." Mistystar purred as she watched the two warriors race each other across the stepping stones. Ravenfrost leaped over Lilystorm while on the stepping stones, but she lost her balance and fell into the river. She surfaced moments later, coughing and spluttering, and swam up to the bank, her strong legs pumping with little effort. Lilystorm mewed something in her ear, and in response, Ravenfrost smacked her wet tail into Lilystorm's face.

"Hey, what gives?" said Lilystorm, rubbing her sore face with her paw. "I am _not _a stupid drypaw," grumbled Ravenfrost, but she wasn't unhappy at all. She had finished her apprentice training, and had become a warrior. It was definitely worth everything she had gone through, and everything she had done. Nothing could change that, not her mother, not Lilystorm, and especially not the nagging thought in the back of her head- _Why am I different? _The thought was still there, but it had subsided. She was now fully accepted, and she knew that _that_ would never change.

Ravenfrost felt something prodding her side. Lilystorm was standing next to her, confusion in her violet eyes. "What are you standing around for? We have to guard the entrance until dawn, remember?" "Yeah, of course I remember. I was just thinking." "Save that for when you're standing around in the cold," mewed Lilystorm. "I feel like leafbare will never let up." "I thought you were the optimistic one," purred Ravenfrost, taking her place at the entrance. Lilystorm turned to look at her after she sat down. "Not everyone is who you think they are, Ravenfrost. We all have hidden depths. Now, we've got to be absolutely silent," she mewed, converting back to her old demeanor, "or Mistystar will have our tails!"

Staring off into space, Ravenfrost reflected on what Lilystorm had said to her. _What did she mean by that? Did she mean that I don't know who she really is? On the inside? _That was when Ravenfrost realized that she herself didn't know who she was on the inside. Her depths _were_ hidden, and not just for everyone, but even for herself. _Why am I different?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello to Warriors fans, bored readers, and trolls everywhere! Welcome to the next chapter of Dark Secrets! Linde and I hope that this isn't painful to read, but we also hope for some reviews. Praise, trolls, constructive criticism, and just criticism in general, we want it all. So, don't be shy! Click on that review button. It wants to be your friend...**

**Also, this time, we shall impose a challenge! If you would like to see the next chapter, then give us four reviews, please! And, no, we are not petty attention whores. If people don't like this story, then we might as well not post it because it's not worth your time, and therefore, it's not worth our time either.**

**By the way, if you want a name featured in this story, then put it in a PM. It doesn't have to be a warrior's name, either. Anyway, on with the story!**

"Lilystorm… Lilystorm!" Some cat was calling her name, jerking her out of her reverie. "Huh? What?" Lilystorm opened her sleepy green eyes to find her friend, Ravenfrost, glowering at her. _W-wait, is it morning? _"Lilystorm, the point of the vigil is that we're supposed to stay _awake_." Lilystorm flicked her tail guiltily. "But I wasn't asleep!" Ravenfrost rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. Resting your eyes or whatever. Just be quiet; Stormcrow's coming!"

The said grey tom strolled up to the pair of new warriors. "Having a nice chat are we?" he said cheerfully. The two's eyes widened and Lilystorm shook her head mutely while Ravenfrost opened her mouth to say something, realized that this counteracted the purpose of silence, and quickly shut it. Stormcrow just purred again. "You two can go into the warriors den and rest if you wish."

Lilystorm jumped to her paws. "Yay! I could just sleep for a moon!" Ravenfrost discreetly jabbed a paw into Lilystorm, and she shut her mouth quickly and glanced over at Stormcrow to see if it was okay to talk now. He nodded and Ravenfrost hissed quietly to Lilystorm, "You already _have _slept for like a moon!" Lilystorm gave a mock offended meow and tried to jab her friend back, but unfortunately stealth was much more of Ravenfrost's specialty.

Stormcrow gave a cough and gave them both a pointed glance. "Instead, seeing as you two have _so much energy_, maybe it would be best if you joined my patrol. There's been fox scent lingering near the ShadowClan border for three days now and we've decided it would be best if we checked it out." Ravenfrost looked over her old mentors shoulder to see her friend, Carpwhisker, smirking at them challengingly. With a sigh the black and white cat trudged over to the group of cats readying to patrol. Lilystorm followed, paws feeling like stones. Stormcrow padded off to the fresh kill pile.

"Excellent!" Nightshard purred. "Yeah, I thought you'd never join us!" Heronstrike proclaimed from next to his brother. "No way you're leaving us behind!" Ravenfrost said defiantly, glancing over at her sister. Lilystorm nodded half-heartedly. "Ahh, I knew there was no such luck." Carpwhisker sighed dramatically. Ravenfrost pounced on him with a playful yowl, her back leg knocking Lilystorm backwards.

She winced as her paw folded awkwardly under her. _Ouch! _ Nightshard walked over to her and helped her up "Just ignore them." Nightshard said, glancing over to where Ravenfrost was pummeling Carpwhisker's belly with sheathed hind paws. "They can be such frog brains, always competing with the other for something. Say, do you need the medicine cat?" Lilystorm frowned thoughtfully at her paw and tested it. "Nah, I think I'm okay, just a minor sprain. Say, do you remember the time Ravenfrost dared Carpwhisker to climb that really big tree by the training hollow? I swear he nearly jumped out of his fur there and then!" The yellow cat was interrupted from her nostalgia as Stormcrow returned, brushing feathers from off of his muzzle. "How are we doing?" The grey warrior asked. Carpwhisker jumped off from on top of Ravenfrost and straightened up. Ravenfrost sullenly got to her paws. "I want a rematch, you great lump," she grumbled. Carpwhisker just let out a _mrrow_ of amusement.

"Okay, good. Save that energy you two. Now, come on, you lot, the fox isn't going to chase itself off! " The patrol followed Stormcrow, all easily bounding along the stepping stones and over the stream that marked the exit from camp. As they padded along the springy grass Carpwhisker and Ravenfrost kept going at it, and soon Ravenfrost looked as though she was getting increasingly annoyed. _If I hear one more petty insult, my ears will burst!_ She sidled up to her sister's side and whispered into Ravenfrost's ear.

"You know, Ravenfrost, you really ought to be more careful. Some cats might catch on to the fact that you're in _love_ with Carpwhisker." The rest of the patrol was obviously holding back laughter, with the exception of Stormcrow. Ravenfrost tensed, and Carpwhisker, sensing an argument, quickly darted up towards the front of the line to join Heronstrike. "Lilystorm," Ravenfrost said in a dangerous tone of voice, "I am only going to say this once, understood? I am _not _in love with Carpwhisker." Her yellow counterpart, however, disagreed. "Or so you say," Lilystorm meowed, with an infuriatingly cheeky smile.

"I'm not." Ravenfrost narrowed icy blue eyes at her friend. Lilystorm felt disappointed "You're going all 'serious-face' on me now, aren't you?" The black and white warrior snorted in exasperation. "Lilystorm!" Lilystorm, sensing she may have gone a bit too far in her teasing, stopped. "Sorry, I know you're not into Carpwhisker," she mewed softly. Ravenfrost rolled her eyes and sighed. "It's okay, just… hey, wait, do you smell something?" Lilystorm opened her mouth and tasted the air. "Um… no." Her sister furrowed her brow in confusion. "Really? I could have sworn I smelled somethi-ow!" The patrol reached a sudden stop and Ravenfrost rammed into Nightshard. "Hey! Watch it," she growled, rubbing her nose with a paw. Stormcrow had stopped and was looking at the half-bridge. "Aha! I think we've found our fox." Lilystorm nudged Ravenfrost. "Good nose!" Heronstrike glanced about dubiously. "The fox? Where?" Stormcrow nodded to the half-bridge "Most likely, he's living under there."

Carpwhisker snickered. "That must be one stupid, smelly fox, to live so close to Twolegs!" Ravenfrost was considering the fox den carefully. "The real question is what we do _now_," she pondered. She started as Nightshard spoke up. "What do you mean, 'what do we do now'? It's obvious, isn't it? The warrior code says that boundaries must be checked and marked every day, and all trespassers are to be challenged. This fox doesn't belong here! We have six warriors and there's only one fox. What's there to worry about?" Ravenfrost suppressed a hiss. "I meant where it would be best to _attack_ it." Nightshard faltered and looked away from the tabby.

Lilystorm went over things in her mind's eye. "Well, we don't know how big this fox is, or where he is in there, if he's in there." She drew a rough picture of the dock in the dirt and the cats crowded around it. "Odds are he's sleeping in the bigger areas of the half-bridge, meaning that the bridge part in itself is probably unoccupied." Heronstrike observed. Carpwhisker was starting to get interested in this. "So we go out there, swim out into the lake, curve back, swim through the tunnel entrance, lure the fox out, and then rip him to shreds!" He tore a leaf apart for his own amusement.

Stormcrow purred. "Precisely. First we need to make sure that the fox is actually in his den before we start making any ambush plans." His eyes scanned across the patrol quickly. "Carpwhisker," he called. "Will you get closer to the den and make sure the fox is hiding there or around the area?" Carpwhisker nodded and began to slink through the tall grass surrounding the half-bridge.

Immediately, the whole patrol could see why he had been chosen. Carpwhisker's striped fur aligned well with the shadows that the long reeds cast, making the warrior nearly invisible. Lilystorm looked down at her golden paw and flattened the emerald-green grass experimentally with it, instantly throwing her fur into a plainly obvious light.

Suddenly, she realized Stormcrow was saying something. Cursing her lack of attention, Lilystorm pulled herself back into the present. She managed to catch, "-see anything?" and turned her attention back to the sneaking warrior. Carpwhisker peered under the bridge cautiously. "Doesn't look like it." He called back, trying to be quiet. He winced as he realized he had been to loud. and a sudden snarling from the side caught them all off guard.

A gleaming russet snout poked out from cattail fronds. It launched itself at Heronstrike first and pinned him. Nightshard flew at the fox screaming, raking his claws over its nose. Heronstrike was freed enough to struggle out of its grip and claw out a few clumps of fur. Stormcrow joined the other's side, screeching, with Lilystorm and Ravenfrost hurling after him. Lilystorm felt a pain in her midsection as the fox swung its head, sending her sprawling into a log. She gasped as she had the breath knocked out of her, her vision failing. As her head spun with confusion, Lilystorm couldn't get up. She saw a russet shape advance on her, but a black blur shot past it and knocked it sideways.

The patrol leaped on the fox in the moment of surprise, clawing at its legs and spine. The fox, now overwhelmed with cats, shook them off and ran howling for the hills. Carpwhisker arrived from the opposite site of the clearing, panting. "What happened?" he wheezed, looking around at the injured cat. "Did I miss the fight?" The other cats didn't respond, they were too occupied licking their wounds. Carpwhisker sighed "I _did _miss the fight, didn't I!"

Heronstrike sighed. "_Yes, _Carpwhisker, you _did _miss the fight. Are you happy now?" Carpwhisker glared at his brother. "No." "Ah, you brutish toms," Ravenfrost sighed, as she examined her bloodied tail. Lilystorm clambered to her paws with much help from Nightshard. "Thanks." Lilystorm smiled at him, swaying a bit. _Oh, my head... _"I don't envy the fox if he wakes up tomorrow and has a huge headache!" Nightshard gave a small _mrrow_ of amusement and opened his jaws to respond, but Ravenfrost shoved him away and spoke with urgency. "Lilystorm! Are you alright? You took a really nasty bump against that log."

"Well… I'm not quite sure really. It's still all really vague…" Lilystorm said, shaking her head to clear it, but only succeeding in making herself dizzier. Stormcrow looked up from his own wounds. "Maybe we should get you back to camp," he mewed in concern. Ravenfrost nodded, putting her tail over Lilystorm's shoulder protectively. Nightshard silently fell in beside her on the other side of Lilystorm.

The trip was uneventful. Or so she thought, as it faded in and out with Lilystorm's shaky hold on consciousness. She did remember Nightshard and Ravenfrost's persistent presence next to her, along with Stormcrow leading the patrol. A consistent buzzing of talk in her ears told her that Carpwhisker was still griping about missing the fight. Lilystorm wasn't sure, but she thought that she heard a few half-hearted attempts to stop his chatter, presumably from Heronstrike. Before she realized where she was, Lilystorm claws scrambled on stone and almost lost their grip before Carpwhisker nudged her.

With his help, Lilystorm crossed the stepping stones without falling. She watched the rest of the patrol move stiffly across the rocks, moving gingerly to avoid making their wounds worse. While the two cats waited, the camp had noticed their arrival. Mistystar and Blacktooth looked curiously at them, while Greenleaf hurried to steady Stormcrow when he had a rather awkward landing. Stormcrow shrugged her off, saying that he would be fine. Lilystorm saw their mother, Mallowbright, from under the shade where she was grooming Dawnfish, watching the patrol with narrowed eyes.

She sighed, only to feel yet another cat beside her. "It's fine, just ignore her. It isn't Ravenfrost's fault," sounded Heronstrike's voice. Lilystorm sighed again and opened her mouth to respond, but Willowshine came hurrying out of her den, Brookpaw trailing in her wake. Ravenfrost stumbled through the patrol to get to Lilystorm. "Of course _we_ have to be the ones on the patrol that gets them stuck in this situation. Typical," she snorted. Lilystorm just smiled at her, feeling too faint to answer. Willowshine hastily began to usher them into her den. Lilystorm followed without complaint, her paws like stones.

Carpwhisker, the only uninjured one in their patrol, started walking towards the warriors den. He paused as he passed the two sisters, hearing Ravenfrost's last comment. "Hey, don't blame yourselves. You two did fine. But, keep in mind that you can't do _everything_."


End file.
